Nintendo of Europe Gives Free Retail Game to 3DS XL Owners

Club Nintendo is a nice extra for Nintendo gamers, though we imagine there are a few that don't necessarily bother to go through the process of logging in and completing surveys for all of their game or hardware purchases. That may change due to a handsome new promotion for 3DS XL, as Nintendo of Europe is offering a free retail download title to anyone who's registered one of the handhelds on Club Nintendo before 15th January 2013.

Once you register the system on your account, or if you've already done so, you'll be prompted by a promotional banner to claim your freebie. You'll have the chance to choose from the following five games, including some big hitters that currently cost £39.99/€44.99 on the eShop.

Once you select a game the download code will be sent to your account's registered email address, and you'll then be able to redeem it in the eShop between 1st and 31st January 2013. It's a rather tasty bonus for new 3DS XL owners, of course, but the fact that even those that have already registered their systems are included should keep everyone happy. Even if you own the games, they're free, so you still can't complain.

The offer applies to most major countries in Europe, but be sure to check the promotion's details to confirm whether your region is included. So, which game are you going for, Europeans?

Instructions for those who have already registered the 3DS XL hardware

Log into Club Nintendo, click on 'My Account' and click the arrow on the promotional banner to the right. You should see the promotion now.

You are thanked for registering the system and asked to confirm your email address

Welsh ex-pat Tom is responsible for the day-to-day running of the site. He's the guy to thank for the generally brilliant nature of the content which massages your eyeballs on a daily basis. Also has an unhealthy obsession with all things Bowser.

Either make it fair for every 3DS owner or don't do it at all.
Handheld gaming is going down the tubes. Make one model, concentrate on it and stick to the damn thing Nintendo. Don't juggle both and screw over half of your consumers (again)
Come the next handheld, I'll be giving it a miss.

Wish this would come to the US, but I highly doubt it. European gamers deserve it though as they get shafted a lot.

@RupeeClock The article says you have registered a XL before January 15th

Once you register the system on your account, or if you've already done so, you'll be prompted by a promotional banner to claim your freebie.

@Tsuchiya Its not that big of a deal and doesn't screw over anyone. Getting upset about this is like getting upset when a company bundles a game with a console as a special edition. I assume you were unhappy when Nintendo gave early adapters the ambassador program.

@GumbyX84
Not really as bar a few games, it was a pretty awful program compared to this anyway. Early adopter of what? A slight variation of the same thing that I adopted at its initial launch? They are both in the 3DS family, both models can download full retail games. So let the owners of both models download a free game.

GOOD offer, but STILL not tempted to pay out for an aesthetic upgrade and trade in my dinky, well looked after standard 3DS. Its still a little bit too pricey WHEN COMPARED to the standard model. Also, Wii U spend is clearing my budget out ATM. NO sale!

I got the 3DS early enough to have been an Ambassador and due to dodgy eye-sight traded up to the 3DSXL but what's this? All of a sudden ANZ is not included in "Europe" for this promo? I have no issue if it means we are no longer shackled to tortuous Euro classification processes in terms of game release but somehow it feels like the same old "shaft the Antipodeans" again... mind you Ninty manages to show us more love than another Japanese console company when it comes to goodies...

@Schprocket We were never shackled to tortuous Euro classification; ANZ has its own ratings board. And it's significantly worse than the Euro one, since the market is smaller and it costs more. And processing tends to take longer. And, until recently, there was no R18+ rating.

@Dambuster You misunderstood what ChunkyDroid said. He's saying that the offer is limited to 3DS XL so that those who've bought ONLY a small model 3DS, and may also have the Ambassador games, aren't also getting this freebie. Whether you did trade-ins, received it as a gift or bought it yourself, you've upgraded to an XL - therefore you get the promo.

I can understand why some may be disappointed with original 3DS models — maybe one of these games free for having a load of Club Nintendo stars would also be a nice incentive — but the earlier comparison to bundles is fair. Nintendo's pushing the XL, so is offering an incentive; that's standard and fair enough. I've lost count of offers I've missed in various things, but it's just a fact of life.

It's hard not to feel just a little left out. Ambassadors should be eligible for this as well I feel. We've been supporting the system from the start. I'm glad people who waited and jumped in with the XL, or perhaps those who upgraded to the XL, are being rewarded, but I personally feel like the offer should be extended to ambassadors. I'd take a free 3DS game over GBA and NES games any day.

@Dambuster Sadly it wouldn't work... Nordic countries are completely excluded from Club Nintendo, we don't get the pin code-leaflets at all in our region. This really sucks concidering we're supposed to be part of the European Union etc.

@AyeHaley - we've added a guide above to help explain how this is done.

Basically log into Club Nintendo, Click 'My Account'. On the promotional banner (which didn't load properly for me!) you will see a little arrow on the right. Click this and it will switch to the special promotional banner for this offer. Follow the steps to get your game.

Also I found images not loading correctly in Firefox, so I had to use IE!

1. Hover Your Mouse over The Club Nintendo Tab.2. Click on My Account.3. Once the page were your stars balance is displayed, there's this Arrow pointing to the RIGHT. Click this arrow to reveal the BANNER.

@Buzzthebatgirl Seriously? 10 free NES games and 10 free, not planned to be released GBA games for Ambassadors. This offer gives you one game. The offer last time was 20 classic games. The only free games I actually want, I already own anyways.

Lol, I think this is like the 3DS XL ambassador program for early XL adopters. Given the rumours of XLs coming bundled with MK7 in NA for the same price as a plain XL, it looks like a price drop is impending or systems will be sold with free bundled games from here on in.

Thank you so much for posting this. I had no idea about this promotion.

Bought and registered my XL the day it came out.

^ If you don't know where to find it.Go to the Nintendo site, click on Club Nintendo, then My Account.You'll see a banner with your total star points and an arrow to the right of that. Click that arrow and the free game banner will show up.

I must be the unluckiest nintendo fan in Portugal. I do have a 3DS, but I bought it back in 26th December, and I didnt got ambassador program. I have a Wii too, and I was going to use that connection ambassador program with my friend. But when I was just doing it his father didnt let him connect to the internet. Now this @WiiLovePeace What do you want to trade?

@Tsuchiya: If everyone got the free game, then there would be no point to this promotion. Nintendo is trying to push the 3DS XL, so this makes more sense. Want the free game? Buy an XL. Don't want the XL? Too bad!

Just registered my system and claimed for Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask as i reckon thats the most expensive title out of the lot at the moment, very surprised by this promotion combined with the Ambassador free Zelda 4 swords and Kid Icarus i'd say Not Bad At All Nintendo.

Really feel like i've got the short end of the stick. Had my 3DS after theambassador program and because it's an original 3DS then I missout on this deal too. "Rats!"

@Hybrid: Totally with you on the 'buying games with stars' issue for European gamers. That said, Club Nintendo has been givena makeover and the Stars Catalogue has been offline for awhile now, which makes me think that perhaps the mightimplement it after all.

Just registered for New Art Academy. I already have it on a retail cart, but it is the one game at present that I had felt would be good to have on my SD card. Just need to get a bigger SD card between now and January 1st.

Even though Europe is getting this nice deal, I think, everything considered, NoE and NoA treat it's consumers relatively the same. Although lately NoE has been doing a lot more great things than NoA has been. Reggie is letting me down. What are you doing Reggie? Wake up buddy. Nintendo of Japan is lightyears ahead of us in nearly every facet of the company. I'm moving to Japan, I don't care if I can't speak a lick of anything but English haha. They will accept me and my ninja skills.

They're really going nuts on the bundles, and I've got to say it's a very smart move! For a couple days at Best Buy there was a red 3DS with Super Mario 3D Land pre-installed for $150 (which is a $60 savings)! Get that system and that Mario game into as many hands as possible and you've got a boatload of customers.

OK so im stuck what do I get I already own a retail copy of Super Mario Land and I just bought professor layton (how infuriating) I own freaky forms the original So Art Academy or Style Boutique Help guys baring mind I own colours 3d Style boutique looks a bit ho hum

I hope that at some point, some of you grasp the concept of "promotion." It is an incentive for people to buy a 3DS XL. Nintendo is not Father Christmas, you are not automatically entitled to free things for not being on his naughty list.

Giving free games away to all 3DS owners would achieve nothing asides making shareholders believe that NoE had truly gone off on the deep end.

Also, none of you are being screwed by not being eligible for a special offer. Stop acting like 5-year-olds.

@PinkSpider Hey if you've got a Wii i'd gift you 3200 Wii Points worth of Virtual Console or WiiWare titles in exchange for your code if you're up for it! Might end up better for you cos you've already got the good titles on the list, haha

Its clear they want to now their customers e-mail addresses and they want us in the eShop. Giving away a free game pretty much guarantees we will do our best to find the eShop and download a game. They are hoping we will come back after that.

The same promotion for the original 3DS would create problems because of the small SD Storage. Sure you can upgrade but for most common customers thats a big hurdle.

I got a 3ds on launch day, paid the premium for getting it early, was pleased to get the ambassador games (for free!) and can't have any complaints about this deal - we should be giving Nintendo credit not slagging them off! 24 hours til midnight launch of wiiU...

I already have physical copies of Mario 3D Land and Art Academy, and I'm not really that interested in Freakyforms or Style Botique. So Professor Layton it is for me, I wanted to get this one eventually anyway! (Although I wanted a physical copy over a digital one, but oh well!)

I hate Club Nintendo! Yes, I live in Europe, but I'm not able to be a member because I live in Norway. No one in Scandinavia (a group of countries that includes Norway, Sweden, Denmark and in some cases Iceland and Finland) can be a member of Club Nintendo. So this isn't for "Europeans" it's for "selected countries in Europe", considering there are at least 3, maybe as many as 5 countries in Europe that can't be a member of Club Nintendo.

I feel like this free game justifies some games not seeing the light of day here in Europe, such as the Kirby collection for Wii (which I really wanted to get, as well as Mario Super Sluggers and ExciteBots, both of which never released here either).

Either way I still feel sorry for everyone who won't be able to take part in this!

@dudey300 XLs can be Ambassador systems. In my opinion, that makes it not-a-fair-trade. True, you need a regular to get that Ambassador status but... You know...Anyway, I agree with everyone upset about NoAU not bringing this to us. I already have Super Mario 3D Land and Professor Layton and I don't want the others, except maybe New Art Academy which I would rather have physically like everything else... But this still upsets me.

@Magikarp Not my recollection when waiting for PS3 games to pass certification and following up to find there's green blood to coded and such as well as multilanguage support that we don't need. I don't live under that big of a red rock the R18 is long overdue but the costs is a new one - games yes but not classification.@dambuster re: sony suggestion... 42?

In my opinion the ambassador program is a much better reward than a free 3ds game. There are some real gems in the ambassador program like Yoshi's Island, Warioware, Metroid Fusion and Zelda Minish Cap. Don't get me wrong, I would love a free game but I'm more than happy with what I have got given for free already.

Hiya can anyone tell me how long it takes for them to email code, did mine 4 days ago, now when I click on banner it just comes up with how to claim it guide, is it doing that for everyone else that's already claimed?